Optimize the coordination between Gas and Electricity System Operators

SAInt (Scenario Analysis Interface for Energy Systems) is a software application for planning, analysing and operating independent or interconnected natural gas and electric power system networks simultaneously and in a single simulation framework.

SAInt can be used as a standalone gas network simulator, as a standalone power system simulator, as a gas and power system co-simulator or as a combined single time frame gas and power system simulator.

SAInt enables the user to model and analyse gas and electricity networks in a single Graphical User Interface (GUI) and a single simulation environment, therefore, avoiding time consuming and inaccurate iterative data exchanges between two structurally separated simulation environments.

SAInt can be interfaced to external applications, such as Matlab, MS Excel, MS Visual Studio or other existing Energy Systems Management tools to automate modelling and simulation processes or to establish a co-simulation platform using SAInt's standalone gas or power system solvers.

SAInt has been successfully validated against industry standard software applications and real time network data.

Areas of Application

Planning and operational studies of independent or coupled gas and electric networks.

"What if?" scenario analysis to study the impact on security of supply.

Survival time and restoration simulation of critical scenarios to study the impact on resiliency.

Analysis of the effectiveness of strategies and policies to mitigate the impact of disruptions.

Line-pack management of coupled gas and electric networks.

Scheduling of LNG vessel arrivals to LNG regasification terminals.

Modeling the flexibility a gas system can provide to a power system.

Analysis of the coordination between gas and power transmission system operators (TSOs).

Questions SAInt can answer

What are the impacts of natural gas network constraints on power system operations?

What is the value of coordinating electricity and natural gas network operations?

What are the impacts of power to gas on electricity and gas network operations?

What are the impacts of an extreme weather event or of a gas network (or electricity network) contingency on the reliable operation of both critical energy infrastructures?

What are the impacts of new federal or state policies on the operation of both systems?

Gas Network Simulation

The gas network simulation models in SAInt are based on the one-dimensional continuity, momentum, energy, and state equations, derived from the laws of conservation of mass, momentum and energy and the real gas
law. The gas compressibility is taken into account through an equation for the compressibility factor. The available equations for computing the gas compressibility include Papay,AGA, AGA8DC92, GERG2008 as well as additional custom equations. Furthermore, the gas model contains a number of options for computing the
friction factor for pipelines such as the Hofer, Zanke, Nikuradze and Colebrook-White equation. In addition, gas networks can be simulated with
gas quality, composition and temperature tracking.

The simulation models for electricity networks are based on steady state alternating currents (AC).
Transmission lines and transformers are modeled by a unified pi-circuit model, while generation units
and loads are modeled at buses. Time transitional constraints of generation units, such as start-up and shut down times as well as maximum ramp rates are considered.

The following standalone electricity network simulation models are available:

The combined simulation of gas and electricity networks is one of the unique model features of SAInt. In a
combined simulation, the equations describing the gas and electricity system are linked through a number
of coupling equations reflecting the physical interlink between the two energy vectors. The resulting
system of equations are solved simultaneously for each simulation time step. The coupling between both vectors
includes:

the gas offtake from gas networks to generate electricity in gas fired power plants connected to electricity networks,

the power offtake from electric networks to generate hydrogen and/or synthetic natural gas in power to gas facilities and the injection of the generated gas into gas pipeline networks as well as the blending and tracking of changes in gas composition and gas qualities downstream.

the power offtake from electric networks to operate storage tanks and low and high pressure pumps in LNG regasification terminals.

One of the most powerful features of the combined simulation model is its ability to define conditional
control changes, which may include state information of both energy vectors. For instance, the startup
and shutdown of a gas fired power plant in the electric network, which depend on the available gas
pressure and linepack in the gas network, can be modelled realistically by conditional expressions.

The following combined gas and electricity network simulation models are available:

SAInt Software 2.0

New Ribbon bar has replaced menu strip and tool strip in previous version

New Application Menu for managing sessions and for loading recent files

New Docking and Floating functionality for windows gives the user more flexibility to customize windows layout

New Project Explorer for managing project files

New Model Explorer with detailed hierarchical view of all loaded objects and filtering capability

New Map window for plotting networks in different views and in multiple maps

New Workspace window for viewing defined functions and variables

New Tables with features for grouping, filtering and searching for strings in columns and for displaying aggregated values for numerical columns. Exporting table content to CSV, MS Excel, HTML and PDF have also been added

New Property Window with hierarchical view of collections

New Log Window with filtering capability

New network editing capability added which allows user to add, remove and disconnect elements as well as join disconnected nodes

Content of network files has been reduced and label, vertices and polygon data are saved in separate files *.lbl, *.vtc and *.plg, respectively

All label, vertices and polygon files can be exported and included

Intervalls of Color Legends in Map window can be customized by the user as well as the displayed unit

Objects can have multiple labels and multiple background labels can be added to each network

Selection in map can be filtered by different object types through checkbox legend

SAInt Software 1.2.1.2

Properties added to net objects for comparing results from previous run through profile assignment

command line options for SAInt-Batch extended by following options:

-ignet filename-> specifies the filepath to the network import file for creating a new gas network file. Gas network file will be saved in the same directory as the import file and the filename of the network is the same at the import filename with the exception of the file extension.

-ienet filename -> specifies the filepath to the network import file for creating a new gas network file. Electric network file will be saved in the same directory as the import file and the filename of the network is the same at the import filename with the exception of the file extension.

-pgnet filename -> specifies the filepath to the parameter import file for updating the input parameters of the gas network model currently loaded with command option -gnet. Make sure gas network file is loaded before importing parameter.

-penet filename -> specifies the filepath to the parameter import file for updating the input parameters of the electric network model currently loaded with command option -enet. Make sure electric network file is loaded before importing parameter.

-gsol output description file output file ->generates time series of specified outputs in output description file and saves it into output file using the predefined file path set with batch options
-gnet, -gsce.

-esol output description file output file ->generates time series of specified outputs in output description file and saves it into output file using the predefined file path set with batch options
-enet, -esce.

SAInt Software 1.2.1.1

Background images can be added and positioned in map using the property editor

Project folder can be opened from property editor of corresponding network

Images (*.bmp, *.png,*.jpg etc) can be added to labels and rendered together with labelinfo. All images a saved in folder Images located in the same folder as the network file

Networks can be assigned a label. Network labels are rendered on a fixed location in map. Labelinfo for Network labels requires specification of ObjectType.Name.Extension

Bus types can be changed in GUI in network mode

Electric loads and loads originating from the coupling between gas and electric system (power supply to compressor station, LNG Terminal, UGS facilities etc.) can be assigned a power factor instead of defining a reactive power demand set point (QDSET), however, definition of QDSET in scenario table has priority over power factor definition

New properties PWRF (power factor for local electric loads) and PWRFGAS (power factor for gas system loads) added to electric bus

Reactive power demand set point (QDSET) and reactive power demand from the gas system (QDGAS) have been added as properties to electric buses

Heat rate curve, cost function, and reactive power capability curves of generation unit can be plotted using the property editor. Plots include operating points of each generator.

Console application SAInt-Batch for time intensive simulation is now available but requires additional licenses for accessing SAInt-API. All simulation modules available in SAInt ( SteadyGas, DynamicGas, CombinedDynamicGasQuasiDynamicACOPF Simulation etc.) can be called from a batch file or from the windows command line without using the GUI. SAInt-Batch can also be called from the SAInt command window. Results obtained from SAInt-Batch can be viewed in SAInt-GUI.

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